Jojo and Karlas impressions of a very special reunion…

 

 

For many years, the Kinderdorf Mbigili, Tansania e. V. has been sending two volunteers to Tanzania each year. For a full twelve months they live in the children’s village, help with daily tasks, play with the children, and become caregivers, friends, and teachers all in one. This time is often very intense for both sides – and even after the end of their voluntary service, the connection to the village usually remains. Again and again, former volunteers decide on their own to return and visit the children’s village once more.

 

This is also what Karla and Jurena did. Both had already served as volunteers in Mbigili in 2023/24 and have now, a few months later, returned. Which memories were rekindled, how the children welcomed them, and what moved them most during this reunion – they now share themselves…

 

Karla writes:
At the beginning of 2025, I returned to the children’s village where I had worked for a year as a volunteer. It felt as if I had never left, even though I first had to awaken my Kiswahili (the official language of Tanzania) again. The children laughed and argued in just the same way. They wore the same clothes, now passed down to the younger ones. We went for walks in the surroundings, painted, and played badminton. Just like during my year as a volunteer in the children’s village – this time as a guest, but no less a part of this important project.

 

Jurena writes:
I, too, Jojo, returned this June, after my joint voluntary service with Karla in 2023 and 2024. Once again, I was able to feel at home, this time as a visitor with my boyfriend in tow. I was greeted with surprised children’s eyes, but also with the words that I had changed. Yet the initial shyness on both sides quickly disappeared, and soon we were playing, painting, and chatting as always. I was able to immerse myself again in the life I had lived for a year in the children’s village, and I took the chance to be part of activities for which I had lacked the time during my daily volunteer work. Together with my boyfriend, I visited the farm, watched the housemothers cooking, and learned new things once again. After all that, saying goodbye does not necessarily get easier the second time around.

 

To conclude, I will leave the final word to my boyfriend, who experienced the children’s village for the first time during our visit:

 

“Already upon arrival at the children’s village, I was warmly welcomed – by the children, the housemothers, and the management. The atmosphere was relaxed and joyful, with laughter and play everywhere.
Since it was school holidays, the children had the whole day to play, paint, and/or do crafts.
What impressed me most was the large, open grounds of the children’s village with wide views over the surrounding mountains. From the guesthouse, you could look directly onto the farm. Bananas grew as far as the eye could see, alongside a variety of vegetables, which the children themselves helped to tend. There were also pigs, cows, goats, and chickens.
For me, the children’s village was the final stop of my Tanzania trip. It was a place where I could truly find peace once more. The warmth of the people and the beautiful surroundings made the stay something very special.”